How To Make Slime with Glue for Science Experiments and Activities

We have the BEST most AMAZING how to make slime recipes around! I have been called queen of the slimes by my friends because yes, I do know how to make slime with glue in very fun ways. Making homemade slime is easier then you think if you have the right supplies and the right recipes. Below you will find everything you need to make AWESOME homemade slime in no time.

HOW TO MAKE SLIME WITH ELMERS GLUE

However, you are here to learn how to make slime with glue, and I am going to share with you my totally favorite homemade slime recipes.

ENJOY THE SLIME MAKING CRAZE!

The world has been hit with a slime craze, and you might have noticed that securing slime ingredients has been a little tricky. I am surprised there isn’t a black market for Elmer’s washable school glue {or maybe there is}! There are quite a few fun ways you can make slime with glue, so it’s the most important ingredient for slime!

Check out our new video for our liquid starch slime, and you will find all the links for the recipes at the bottom of this post! For almost 50 slime videos, click here. You can also find a slime video for each of our 4 BASIC SLIME RECIPESincluding fluffy slime, saline slime, borax slime, and liquid starch slime.

At the bottom of this page find more slime making resources and printable slime recipes!

NEW! Saline Solution Slime Video too!

MAKING SLIME IS ALL ABOUT THE RIGHT GLUE!

The glue is one of the most important ingredients for making homemade slime, you need the right type of glue. Sadly, only one type has been proven to work the slime magic, and that’s why for quite awhile there’s been a shortage of both the white and clear glue. Elmer’s Washable School Glue in either clear or white is the must have slime ingredient.

The price of glue fluctuates like crazy, but your best bet is going with the gallon of white glue if you think you are going to make slime with a whole bunch of kids. The glitter glue can get crazy expensive and doesn’t always work as well, so I just like to add glitter to my clear glue slime recipe you will see below.

NEW! Fluffy Slime Recipe Video!

I have a few slime making essentials that are always great to have on hand when you want to try a batch of homemade slime! I love the plastic beakers because my son loves to be a junior scientist, and you can toss them in the dishwasher easy enough. The craft sticks are great for stirring the slime mixture, and also easy to toss when done. You will need measuring cups as well. Print your own list here!

MAKING SLIME SAFELY

There are a few special ingredients {chemicals} that produce the chemical reaction needed to make slime. This is where the slime safety tips come into play. I like to think of making slime as a chemistry experiment {which it is} and treat it that way.

Now, we have never had a reaction to slime in the few years that we have been making it, but please use your best judgement {see safety and liability release}. Always, always wash hands and surfaces thoroughly after using slime.

*Adults should be supervising the use of all of these chemicals and should also do the mixing! Additionally, you should never substitute a different cross linking agent in any of the recipes.* You can also wear latex/latex free gloves when making slime if you are concerned with sensitivity.

SLIME SCIENCE FOR EXPERIMENTS

When you learn how to make slime with glue, you want to also understand a little more about polymers and cross linking. So a polymer glue is made up of tons of long, repeating, and identical chains of flexible molecules. When you add any of the borate ions to it, it helps to link those molecules together.

Normally those molecules slide past each other in a liquid form like when you are just using the glue to stick things down, but when you add one of these cross linkers to it, the molecules become thicker and thicker because they can no longer slide as easily.

The substance becomes more viscous and more rubbery the more the molecules start getting jumbled up thus resembling what we think of as slime. If you notice, the mixture also becomes larger than the liquids you started with in the beginning. Read more about slime science here.

WHICH SLIME ACTIVATOR MAKES THE BEST SLIME RECIPE?

Borax {powder} is the first thought of cross linker but is also my least favorite way to make slime. I would save the borax for growing crystals. It’s also cool chemistry!

Liquid Starch is the one we commonly use because of how quick and simple it is to shale and pour. Liquid starch contains sodium borate which is a form of borax. You can not make your own liquid starch for this to work.

Eye drops contain boric acid and although not the same as borax, it is part of the boron family.

You can make slime with cornstarch and glue but the consistency is a little different, but still fun for those of you who can’t use the above ingredients. You can also check out our alternative slime recipes for more ideas.

LEARN HOW TO MAKE SLIME WITH GLUE EASILY!

Click on the PICTURES below to get the exact recipe for each type of slime. I am sure you will find one that suits your needs! See step by step directions, photos, and a video!

That’s a whole bunch of slime recipes made with glue that are a MUST try with the kids this year! Try one of these AMAZING slime recipes today! You won’t be disapointed.

AWESOME HOMEMADE SLIME RECIPES ALL YEAR

Now you know all about how to make slime and can check out each slime recipe to see which is suitable for your kids or situation! There’s a recipe for slime for everyone. Our new favorite right now is the saline solution fluffy slime! Enjoy your slime time, and remember to wash up thoroughly when finished.

If you find yourself with a lot of leftover glue and you want to try some more great projects, check out Artful Parent’s raised salt painting idea. You can also make your own puffy paint with Crafty Morning! This one is especially good if you have left over shaving cream already form our fluffy slime.

MORE SLIME MAKING RESOURCES!

Everything you need to know about making slime is below! Did you know we also have fun with science activities too? Click on all the pictures below to learn more.

Comments

Question – can slime be mixed in styrofoam bowls with no problem? I am doing a Harry Potter potions class at our local college’s comic con fundraiser, and will have two classes of about 30 people each. Styrofoam bowls is the cheapest way to go for me, but I wasn’t sure is there would be a funky reaction. I will be doing a slime recipe using saline solution. Any help would be most appreciated!

Kids who have sensitive skin ca/may experience a reaction. They would also be sensitive to other things potentially like laundry detergent, soaps, and other things that come in contact with the skin. We have never had a reaction to any of our slime recipes over the last 4 years.

Thanks so much for compiling these recipes and sharing your slime journey! We made saline slime and it turned out wonderfully!

You should put your blog address as a footnote on the slime recipe card so that people who want to see the awesome videos and tips you’ve added here can go back to it if they come upon the recipe card by itself!

Thanks so much for compiling these recipes and sharing your slime journey! We made saline slime and it turned out wonderfully! You should put your blog address as a footnote on the slime recipe card so that people who want to see the awesome videos and tips you’ve added here can go back to it if they come upon the recipe card by itself!

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